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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692315">History</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/imtoolazytothinkofausername/pseuds/imtoolazytothinkofausername'>imtoolazytothinkofausername</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, coparenting au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:41:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>690</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692315</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/imtoolazytothinkofausername/pseuds/imtoolazytothinkofausername</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben works up the courage to ask Yassen about the nature of his relationship with John Rider.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>History</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Note: I do not own Alex Rider or its affiliated characters. Nor was this written for profit. This is an expansion on a short fic I posted on Tumblr a while ago.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun beat down on his neck as he lay on his stomach on the roof of the abandoned gas station. They’d been waiting there for over an hour, and still there was no sign of the car they were expecting. The desert view had been beautiful when they’d first gotten there, but now it was getting monotonous. </p><p>For the third time in five minutes, Ben glanced at Yassen and then looked away quickly. This didn't matter. It wasn't relevant. Whatever had happened had happened years ago. It wasn't even any of Ben's business. Still, Ben’s mind had wandered as he lay there, and now it was difficult to think of anything else.  </p><p>Yassen's eyes were fixed on the road, like Ben's should be. The mafia boss could drive by at any moment, and while Ben had no doubt that Yassen could handle this himself, Ben had insisted on coming. The least he could do was make himself useful. </p><p>"What is it?" Yassen asked. </p><p>"Nothing." Ben muttered. There had been nothing in the files. All he had was rumors, and given how few people knew anything close to the truth about Yassen’s training at Malagosto, it was unlikely the rumors were true. But still... </p><p>"It's obviously not nothing, otherwise you wouldn't keep looking at me when you think I won't notice." </p><p>"...Is it true that you and John Rider...were...together?" </p><p>Ben was rewarded with a startled glance from Yassen. Whatever the man had been expecting, this wasn't it. At the same time, though, there was the sound of an engine coming up the road, and Yassen looked back at the target. </p><p>"No." The man replied shortly, picking up his gun and taking aim.  </p><p>The windows and sides of the car may have been bullet proof, but that didn’t mean it was invulnerable. He waited patiently and silently until the car was almost directly in front of the building. Then, with practiced ease, Yassen took out the right-side tires.  </p><p>The sudden loss of speed caused the car to veer off the road, and it only came to a halt after barreling several meters through the sand.  It took a few minutes for one of the guards to come out. Upon seeing that there was damage to more than one tire, the man should have gotten back in the car, the closest source of cover. Had he done so, Ben and Yassen's task would have been much more difficult, and there was a chance the guards could kill or wound one of them. Instead, he did as Yassen had predicted and called to the other guard.  </p><p>When both were kneeling on the ground next to the rear tire, Yassen took two clean headshots. The rifle barely made a sound. There was no movement from the car, and after a moment, Ben and Yassen headed toward the ladder. It was only after they’d dragged the mob boss from the car, bringing him into the building, and after Yassen had managed to persuade the man to tell them what they needed to know to help Alex (killing the man in the process), that Yassen returned to the topic. </p><p> “John was my mentor.” Yassen said, slipping into the driver’s seat and starting the ignition.  </p><p>By this time, Ben had other things (mostly the screams of their victim) on his mind, and he’d forgotten his earlier question. Given the nature of it, he certainly hadn’t expected Yassen to expand on his answer, so it took him a moment to realize what Yassen was talking about  </p><p>“He meant everything to me. I would have...if he’d asked me. But it was never like that.” He shrugged. “His brother, Ian, though...a few times...” </p><p>“Ian...” Ben blinked in surprise. “Alex’s uncle?” </p><p>“Yes.” </p><p>“But you killed him!” </p><p>“Like I said, it was only a few times.” Yassen very decidedly didn’t look at Ben as it said this.  </p><p>“Still, you didn’t feel the least bit guilty?” </p><p>Yassen shrugged. “It was a pity. I wish I hadn't needed to do it. But I had my orders. It was nothing personal.” </p><p>They don't speak for the rest of the car ride.</p>
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